Houts Bay, Cape PeninsulaMonday 23 April 2007
Saturday 21 April 2007
Tanzania
Last couple of long driving days and a 2night/3days gaming drive to Serengeti & Ngorongoro Crater.
spent a night in Arusha before heading onto the game drives. campsote has a snake park with several different kinds of venomous asps, some crocs, few owls & a vulture. Also a Masai Culture Museum. both were included in the cost of the tour. there was also a danger of being greeted by animals at night but that didn't happen. only guests were guinea fowl.
Serengeti & Ngorongoro Crater were one of the highlights of the whole tour, saw thousands of animals and amazing scenery. The Migration of Zebra & wildebeasts is spectacular, getting up close to the animals as well with only a jeep for protection.
Campsites were open to visitors ( animal kind ) and on the 3rd morning, was told my Mel ( my tent buddy for the 2nights) that we had a buffalo right outside our tent in the night. All she could hear was the noise that they make ( like heavy breathing down the phone ) it spent about 20mins around us, she tried to wake me up as i slept through it all but she was afraid to move. Damn, wish i had woken up to have actually experienced it !
The 1st nites campsite had 2 squat toilets and there was our group of 12 plus another truck of 18 and 2 other small parties. So 2 between 40 of us wasn't exactly pleasant. One toilet stank well bad during the day ! weren't allowed to go in the bushes for our safety. We had guards on site for our protection. All in all one very different but wonderful trip to the African Plains !
spent a night in Arusha before heading onto the game drives. campsote has a snake park with several different kinds of venomous asps, some crocs, few owls & a vulture. Also a Masai Culture Museum. both were included in the cost of the tour. there was also a danger of being greeted by animals at night but that didn't happen. only guests were guinea fowl.
Serengeti & Ngorongoro Crater were one of the highlights of the whole tour, saw thousands of animals and amazing scenery. The Migration of Zebra & wildebeasts is spectacular, getting up close to the animals as well with only a jeep for protection.
Campsites were open to visitors ( animal kind ) and on the 3rd morning, was told my Mel ( my tent buddy for the 2nights) that we had a buffalo right outside our tent in the night. All she could hear was the noise that they make ( like heavy breathing down the phone ) it spent about 20mins around us, she tried to wake me up as i slept through it all but she was afraid to move. Damn, wish i had woken up to have actually experienced it !
The 1st nites campsite had 2 squat toilets and there was our group of 12 plus another truck of 18 and 2 other small parties. So 2 between 40 of us wasn't exactly pleasant. One toilet stank well bad during the day ! weren't allowed to go in the bushes for our safety. We had guards on site for our protection. All in all one very different but wonderful trip to the African Plains !
Zanzibar
A smooth 2-3hrs ferry crossing took us to Zanzibar, home of the late Freddie Mercury. First night stayed in Stone Town, a cheap hotel with the dining area on the rooftop. Wondered around in the afternoon and then in evening checked out the night markets selling paintings, carvings, jewelry and food stalls which you had to be careful with ( hygiene, well cooked food ) few of us went to Mercurys, named after the man himself. Good food, and on the shoreline. Then off to Africa House for a rooftop viewing of the sunset. Wonderful !
Next morning was taken on a spice tour passing some Historic buildings, House of Wonders, anglican church and visited a slave market. Spice plants - ginger, turmeric, pepper, cardoman, vanilla, nutmeg, and a few fruit plants such as banana, mango & coconut.
Transfered to our next resort where we would stay for the next 3nights. Sunset Bungalows right by the Indian ocean & Beach. air con rooms for the price of a normal $20pn. 3 bars & 1 restaurant, but all served food. Activities of snorkelling & Diving but i spent most of the time lounging about due to the fact there was nothing to do and my leg/ foot had swollen up in Malawi, was in pain & having to limp. was hoping it was due to the extremely hot but nice weather and long days on the truck. No doctor about, nearest trusting doc would be in nairobi. Got a foot massage hoping that would help, only moved the pain upto my thigh which went the next day. had told the lady to be gentle around my calf but was painful.There were also markets, selling paintings, crafts etc. learnt bit of swahili from the traders, met some nice people.
Ferry ride back to Dar es Salaam was rough and i ended up being sick and 70% of the group followed suit !
Next morning was taken on a spice tour passing some Historic buildings, House of Wonders, anglican church and visited a slave market. Spice plants - ginger, turmeric, pepper, cardoman, vanilla, nutmeg, and a few fruit plants such as banana, mango & coconut.
Transfered to our next resort where we would stay for the next 3nights. Sunset Bungalows right by the Indian ocean & Beach. air con rooms for the price of a normal $20pn. 3 bars & 1 restaurant, but all served food. Activities of snorkelling & Diving but i spent most of the time lounging about due to the fact there was nothing to do and my leg/ foot had swollen up in Malawi, was in pain & having to limp. was hoping it was due to the extremely hot but nice weather and long days on the truck. No doctor about, nearest trusting doc would be in nairobi. Got a foot massage hoping that would help, only moved the pain upto my thigh which went the next day. had told the lady to be gentle around my calf but was painful.There were also markets, selling paintings, crafts etc. learnt bit of swahili from the traders, met some nice people.
Ferry ride back to Dar es Salaam was rough and i ended up being sick and 70% of the group followed suit !
Thursday 12 April 2007
Malawi
Crossing the borders can be difficult or easy depending on the mood of the officers. we only had to pay to cross into Malawi. Once there we changed money & had a short break in a town for lunch. stayed in Malawi for 5days but at 3 different campsites, all by the lake.
I went horse riding for 2hrs which included a swim in the lake on bareback but was thundering & lightening so didn't spend as much time swimming due the horses being frightened. was good fun and only a bit saddle sore after.
others went diving or snorkelling. one of the sites had a swimming pool and i managed to get sunburnt. due to my own stupidity. but it better now.
I went horse riding for 2hrs which included a swim in the lake on bareback but was thundering & lightening so didn't spend as much time swimming due the horses being frightened. was good fun and only a bit saddle sore after.
others went diving or snorkelling. one of the sites had a swimming pool and i managed to get sunburnt. due to my own stupidity. but it better now.
Zambia
Sorry for the long delay but not every campsite we go to has internet facilities & even then it's not always possible to use due to length of conne4ction etc.
anyway, Livingstone campsite has been the best site so far. More modern & 2 swimming pools. But no9t much in the area, small shopping high street with few souvenir shops, restaurant which we visited twice and a supermarket. then there was town with markets for crafts etc which i never went to. Activities available were helicopter & micro-light flights, lion walks in zimbabwe & elephant walks. I talk a rhino walk one morning, getting close to the animals which was amazing. went walking for 3hrs & came close to the 2 rhinos that the park has. It's 70sqkm and absolutely amazing seeing them up so close. they almost came right upto us, within 1metre.....
we also saw zebra & giraffe up close.
left Livingstone a day earlier than expected as we didn't need to spend 5days there and would give us a extra day in Zanzibar.
On way up to next stop we went to Victoria Falls and got soaked twice by the massive back spray. Good fun though, water was both cold & warm at times. visited the curio markets there as well and bartered with the sellers. talked with them as well.
anyway, Livingstone campsite has been the best site so far. More modern & 2 swimming pools. But no9t much in the area, small shopping high street with few souvenir shops, restaurant which we visited twice and a supermarket. then there was town with markets for crafts etc which i never went to. Activities available were helicopter & micro-light flights, lion walks in zimbabwe & elephant walks. I talk a rhino walk one morning, getting close to the animals which was amazing. went walking for 3hrs & came close to the 2 rhinos that the park has. It's 70sqkm and absolutely amazing seeing them up so close. they almost came right upto us, within 1metre.....
we also saw zebra & giraffe up close.
left Livingstone a day earlier than expected as we didn't need to spend 5days there and would give us a extra day in Zanzibar.
On way up to next stop we went to Victoria Falls and got soaked twice by the massive back spray. Good fun though, water was both cold & warm at times. visited the curio markets there as well and bartered with the sellers. talked with them as well.
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